Sigma rule: RunMRU Registry Key Deletion

A detection rule from the SigmaHQ repository, shown as its author published it. Dataset version ref-b01407a1f0d7, updated 2025-09-25T00:00:00.000Z.

Rule

Title
RunMRU Registry Key Deletion
Status
experimental
Level
high
Author
Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems)
Date
2025-09-25
File
rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_delete_runmru.yml
Commit
ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84

Detects deletion of the RunMRU registry key, which stores the history of commands executed via the Run dialog.
In the clickfix techniques, the phishing lures instruct users to open a run dialog through (Win + R) and execute malicious commands.
Adversaries may delete this key to cover their tracks after executing commands.

Log source

product
windows
category
process_creation

Detection

selection_img:
    - Image|endswith: '\reg.exe'
    - OriginalFileName: 'reg.exe'
selection_cli:
    CommandLine|contains|all:
        - ' del'
        - '\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU'
condition: all of selection_*

False positives (as the rule lists them)

  • Unknown

Tags

  • attack.stealth
  • attack.t1070.003

MITRE ATT&CK ids this rule names

Related rules

References

Read on 2026-11-03T00:58:21.399Z under licence sigma-drl-1.1@d5f4c36a from https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_delete_runmru.yml

Sources and licences

  • SigmaHQ

    "RunMRU Registry Key Deletion" by Swachchhanda Shrawan Poudel (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ). Rule: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/sigma/blob/ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_reg_delete_runmru.yml.
    Licensed under the Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1: https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License

    Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "Sigma rule: RunMRU Registry Key Deletion",
entity page, dataset version ref-b01407a1f0d7, updated 2025-09-25T00:00:00.000Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/detections/sigma/c11aecef-9c37-45a6-9c07-bc0782f963fd (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: SigmaHQ rule c11aecef-9c37-45a6-9c07-bc0782f963fd, commit ccbb0369507f796db0b0ae6854c8a2be471b9d84.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.